Hypercarbon chemistry

This text points out the emerging significance of higher-valent carbon compounds. It describes the compounds of carbon with coordination numbers greater than four and explores the delocalized bonds of π aromatic molecules as a basis for rational description of orbitals; localized multicentered orbitals; the interactions of metallic ions with other atoms and molecules; the skeletal electron counts as a guide for synthesis; and the isolobal concept. Illustrated are the ways in which these subjects bring together structure and reactivity in the great diversity of novel carbon chemistry and its relationship to that of boron, lithium, hydrogen, the metals, and others